Device for the continuous production of lead plates for storage batteries

ABSTRACT

A device for the continuous production of lead plates for storage batteries includes a conveyor for moving the plates within a cabinet through a series of treatment containers and chambers including a washing tub, an impregnation tub, a drying chamber and a cooling chamber. The materials are treated in the drying and cooling chambers with an inert gas atmosphere and the plates are moved through these chambers while they are hanging or standing on hangers or arranged in a vertical position within the cabinets. The dryer for the negative plates has an inlet portion with a receiving opening or orifice which is immersed below the surface of the fluid of one of the washing or impregnation tubs to provide a sealing of this chamber against the escape of the inert gas. The cooling chamber and the drying chamber are located directly adjacent one another but separated by an air lock permitting passage of the plates or the cabinets containing them through the lock with automatic sealing. Preferably at the outlet of the drying chamber or cooling chamber an air lock is installed which is provided with baffle doors which are openable by contact of the cabinets therewith. The air lock chamber is provided with means for directing an inert gas into the chamber and for delivering the gas from the chamber. The outlet door is located so that it is hinged with its top edge at a level lower than the bottom edge of the inlet door to the chamber. The individual drying and cooling chambers employ the same inert gas for heating and cooling purposes, the gas being delivered in a closed cycle through heat exchangers which operate upon the gas to provide the desired temperature for the respective cooling and drying chambers.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Budingen, Germany [21] Appl. No.873,427 [22] Filed Nov. 3, 1969 [45] Patented Nov. 9, 1971 [73] AssigneeFirma Carl Still Recklinghausen, Germany [32] Priority Nov. 2, 1968 [33] Germany [311 P1806 588.8

[54] DEVICE FOR THE CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION OF LEAD PLATES FOR STORAGEBATTERIES 8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. I 118/66, 34/66, 34/212,118/69,l18/73, 118/423, 136/33 [51]Int. Cl. 1105c 11/00 [50] Field of Search 34/61, 62, 66, 90, 212, 216;68/10, 20; 118/66, 69; 134/75, 76, 114; 136/33 [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 2,689,198 9/1954 Judd 34/66 UX 2,978,528 4/1961Heap 134/114X Primary Examiner-Carroll B. Dority, Jr. Attorney-McGlewand Toren ABSTRACT: A device for the continuous production of leadplates for storage batteries includes a conveyor for moving the plateswithin a cabinet through a series of treatment containers and chambersincluding a washing tub, an impregnation tub, a drying chamber and acooling chamber. The materials are treated in the drying and coolingchambers with an inert gas atmosphere and the plates are moved throughthese chambers while they are hanging or standing on hangers or arrangedin a vertical position within the cabinets. The dryer for the negativeplates has an inlet portion with a receiving opening or orifice which isimmersed below the surface of the fluid of one of the washing orimpregnation tubs to provide a sealing of this chamber against theescape of the inert gas. The cooling chamber and the drying chamber arelocated directly adjacent one another but separated by an air lockpermitting passage of the plates or the cabinets containing them throughthe lock with automatic sealing. Preferably at the outlet of the dryingchamber or cooling chamber an air lock is installed which is providedwith bafile doors which are openable by contact of the cabinetstherewith. The air lock chamber is provided with means for directing aninert gas into the chamber and for delivering the gas from the chamber.The outlet door is located so that it is hinged with its top edge at alevel lower than the bottom edge of the inlet door to the chamber. Theindividual drying and cooling chambers employ the same inert gas forheating and cooling purposes, the gas being delivered in a closed cyclethrough heat exchangers which operate upon the gas to provide thedesired temperature for the respective cooling and drying chambers.

77 26 Elf-m [a i "36 DEVICE FOR THE CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION OF LEAD PLATESFOR STORAGE BATTERIES SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates ingeneral to the construction of continuous processing devices, and inparticular, to a new and useful device for the continuous production oflead plates for storage batteries and for treating the plates in aseries of washing and impregnating tubs and drying and cooling chambers.

Lead plates for storage batteries are treated after they aremanufactured in various ways which depend upon whether they areinstalled in the accumulator or battery as a positive or as a negativeplate. The washing out of the sulfuric gases that have formed withwater, and the drying and cooling of the positive plates, whose activecomponent consists of lead dioxide, do not present any particularproblems. They are dried in a hot air current and cooled in the openatmosphere. The exclusion of oxygen of the air is not necessary here.The active component of the negative plates, however, being reactive andeasily oxidizable in the form of elementary lead must be washed,impregnated, dried and cooled while the oxidation elements are excluded.The use of inert gases for drying and cooling the negative plates isknown. In continuous plants the negative plates are hung or placed incabinets or suspended from hangers and then conveyed through washing andimpregnating tubs arranged in series and which are filled with thewashing water and the impregnation fluid. Subsequently, the plates aremoved through drying and cooling chambers both of which are filled withan inert gas. The cabinets for the conveyance of the plates are eitherhung on cables or placed on conveyor belts or roller tracks as they aremoved through the various treatment stages. Nitrogen or carbon dioxideor a mixture of both are usually employed as an inert gases for thetreatment and this is easily manufactured in the form of combustionexhaust gas. An effort is made to keep the inert gas requirements as lowas possible and in order to diminish the losses of such gas, the dryingand cooling chambers are provided with inlet air locks and outlet airlocks. The known chamber air locks however, still allow considerableamounts of the inert gas to escape into the open atmosphere as thecabinets for the lead plates are moved into and out of the chamberswhile suspended on hangers. Such known devices therefore are expensiveto operate in respect to the requirements for the supply of inert gasbecause both the drying and the cooling chamber must be charged withsufficient inert gas so that the oxidation of the negative plates willbe definitely prevented. The danger of oxidation of the negative platesupon emerging from the cooling chamber is eliminated only when thetemperatures of the plates are below 85 C. The known devices moreover,are expensive in regard to requirements for heating since there has beenno possibility heretofore of making profitable use of the waste heatfrom the dryer in any point of the process.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a new anduseful apparatus for the continuous washing out, impregnating and dryingand cooling of formed lead plates for storage batteries when thisprocess is to be carried out with the use of an inert gases and whichdoes not have the disadvantages of the prior art. Such a device ischaracterized by the provision of a drying chamber for negative plateswhich is closed off on its entrance side by the fluid content of animpregnation washing tub so that the entrance side of the dryerpossesses an absolutely tight seal and thus a special construction ofair lock is not necessary.

According to a special construction of a device of the invention, thecooling chamber is located directly alongside the drying chamber and itincludes walls which are of substantially the same dimensions and whichare separated from the drying chamber only by an intermediate air lockso that losses of inert gases are also avoided at the exit of the dryerand the entrance to the cooler. The separation air lock located betweenthe two chambers is provided with resilient sealing material which bearsagainst and conforms to the outline of the cabinet or the plates andlimits the passage of gas from the drying chamber to the cooling chamberto a minimum amount. The transfer of gas at this location becomes veryslight if the cabinets containing containing the lead plates are movedin succession through the air locks so that a following cabinet will notenter the lock before the previous one leaves it. In this way there isalways a sealing off of the air passage between the drying and thecooling chambers.

In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a special exitair lock is installed on the drying or cooling chamber. It comprises achamber whose end walls are equipped with baffle doors and which arespaced apart as much as double the width of the cabinet containing thelead plates so that when the cabinet passes through the outer door isopen only when the inner door is already closed. The outer and innerdoors are also staggered in height such that the bottom edge of theinner door lies above the top edge of the outer door. In addition thechamber possesses an inlet and an outlet for the inert gas. The bottomof the air lock chamber can be constructed as a slanting roller trackwayor the air lock may be constructed as a vertical air lock. An air lockconstructed in this manner prevents the penetration of cold air from theoutside into the interior of the drying or cooling chambers in areliable manner. The inert gas requirement for the air lock iscomparatively slight.

In a special arrangement of the apparatus the inert gas which is used todry the negative plates is passed through appropriate heat-exchangeelements so that it is capable of also providing the air for the coolingand separation of condensed moisture and for the cooling of the platesin a subsequent passage through a cooling chamber. This recirculatingconstruction greatly diminishes the requirements for such an inert gasand to achieve such a construction the inert gas outlet pipe from thedryer is advantageously connected with the cooling chamber through acondenser and separator. In the cooling chamber the inert gas will againabsorb heat and, as thus preheated, it is conveyed to a hot inert gassource and mixed with the freshly produced high-temperature inert gasand cycled back into the plant. A portion of the inert gas which hasbeen once used is lead into a tunnel in which washing and impregnationtubs are installed in order to diminish the danger of oxidation. In afurther development of the invention the heat of the inert gases comingout of the dryer for the negative plates is used to preheat the dry airfor the positive plates. Installations for drying negative plates andone for drying positive plates are thus operated jointly and connectedtogether by means of a heat exchanger into which the inert gas from thedryer for negative plates releases its heat to the dry air for thepositive-plate dryer. Accordingly, it is an object of the invention toprovide a device for the continuous production of lead plates forstorage batteries in which the plates are to be delivered by conveyormeans through washing and impregnation tubs and drying and coolingchambers which are subjected to an inert gas atmosphere, and wherein thedryer for the negative plates has an inlet which is located below thesurface of the fluid of one of the washing or impregnating tubs in orderto minimize the amount of oxygen which will pass into the dryer with theinert gases.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drying chamber and acooling chamber for treating lead plates which are located alongsideeach other and are separated by an air lock for the passage of theplates and which advantageously included baffle doors which open bycontact with the articles being passed therethrough in succession so asto insure that inert gas does not pass out through the lock.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combined plant for thetreating of positive and negative lead storage plates and wherein theplan includes a dryer and a cooling chamber which are provided withinert gases for the treatment of the negative plates, the gases beingcirculated through a heat exchanger for preheating the gases foroperating the drying and cooling chambers of the positive plates.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for thecontinuous production of lead plates for storage batteries which issimple in design, rugged in construction, and economical to manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which there are illustrated and described preferredembodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the Drawings FIG. 1 is a schematicside-elevational view of a plant for washing out, impregnating, dryingand cooling of negative plates for storage batteries as constructed inaccordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of a portion of theapparatus indicated in FIG. I; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic side-elevational view similar to FIG. 1 of anotherembodiment of the invention.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to thedrawings in particular, the invention embodied therein as indicated inFIGS. I and 2 comprises a treatment plant for newly formed negativeplates of lead storage batteries which are positioned within containersor cabinets and moved over a roller trackway 1 in a direction of thearrow as shown in FIG. 1. The battery plates are moved with their broadside erect and for this purpose the cabinets 2 hold them in this manner.The cabinets 2 include hinged hangers 3 which engage with hooks 4 ofcable 5a which is trained to run around guide rollers and drivingrollers 6, 7 and 8 to convey the cabinets 2 upwardly and into a housing9 which terminates in a tunnel portion 9' at one end. Within the housing9 in according with the invention are arranged a wash tub having aliquid level 13a and an impregnation tub 12 having a liquid level 1312which are located such that the container is moved downwardly below thelevel of each tub in succession and then moved upwardly in the tunnelportion 9.

The tunnel portion 9' is charged by a nozzle 29 with an inert gas thatis sluiced out of another plant operation for example it may be removedfrom the combined plant indicated in FIG. 3 through a pipe line 66.After passage upwardly through the tunnel 9 the cabinet 2 is depositedon a moving conveyor belt 15a which runs over reversible rollers 16 and17.

In accordance with a feature of the construction an impregnation tank 14is located at a lower end of the conveyor 15a and a dryer inlet 18includes an inlet orifice or opening which is located below theimpregnation liquid level 130. Cabinets 2 which are deposited on theconveyor 15a are lifted upwardly through the liquid layer 130 and intothe dryer inlet without destroying the seal of the inlet and itsassociated drying chamber 19. Inert gas is fed into the drying chamber19 from a conduit 20 and is directed out at the opposite end through aconduit 21. Fans 22a at the roof of the dryer I9 circulate the inert gasand they have protected by hoods 27a.

In accordance with the further feature of the invention the cabinets 2are passed through the exit end of the dryer 19 into an air lock 23having a duct 24. In this air lock 24, resilient sealing elements engagearound the cabinet and bend to conform to its shape as it is passedthrough on the conveyor 15 so that they prevent the drying air fromentering into a cooling chamber 28 which is located directly along sidethe air lock 24. During the passage through the air lock the hangers 3are turned around.

The cabinets pass from the lock 24 into the cooling chamber 28 which hasan inlet 25 and an outlet 26 for inert gas and which also includescirculating fans or ventilators 22b having drives protected by hoods27b.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention the exit of thecooling chamber 28 is provided with an air lock 30 having an inclinedroller trackway 31 therein which is arranged at a height to receive thecabinets 2 from the exit end of the conveyor 15a and to deliver them ata lower end onto a horizontal trackway 31 located at the exterior of theair lock 30. The air lock 30 is provided with a conduit 36 for the inletof the inert gas and, as shown at FIG. 2, it is provided with an innerdoor 34 which is pivotally mounted so that its lower edge lies above thetop edge of an outlet door 35 located at the outlet end of the lock 30.The doors are opened each time by the impact of the cabinets 2 and theouter door 35 is not opened until after the inner door 34 has closed.

In FIG. 3, there is indicated a combined flat for the treatment ofnegative plates and positive plates. Conveyor means 50 are effective tomove the positive plates through washing tubs 37 and 38 and thence intoa dryer 39 having circulating fans 22c. Air locks are associated withthe entrance and exit of the dryer 39 but are now shown in order tofacilitate illustration of all of the parts. The negative plates aremoved by conveyor means 5a through the tanks I0, 12 and dryer and cooler19 and 28 as described previously.

The plant operation of the combined plant of FIG. 3 is as follows:

Propane or other combustible gas is supplied through a conduit 45 to aburner 46 of an oven 47 and combustion air is supplied through acombustion line 40, filter 41, pipe 42, fan 43 and pipe 44 to the burner46. The combustion produces an inert gas consisting of nitrogen andcarbon dioxide and it contains less than 0.2 percent by volume ofoxygen. Return pipes 65 connects to the oven 47 and returns the inertgas from the system after its temperature is materially reduced forexample, below 60 C. This gas is added to the inert gas which isgenerated in the oven 47 and the combined product is delivered throughthe conduit 48 at a temperature of 148 C. This high temperature gasfirst moves through a heat exchanger 49 where it releases a portion ofits heat to the preheating of dry air for the dryer 39 and the hightemperature gas is cooled to 139 C. It is then delivered through a pipe50 into the drying chamber for the negative plates 19 and it leaves thechamber 19 through conduit 51 at approximately 90 C. The fan 52 conveysthis inert gas through pipes 53 and 54 into a heat exchanger 55 in whichthe dry air for the dryer 39 is preheated. Water condenses from theinert gas which is cooled 58 C. but it is separated out in a separator57 and conducted off through a pipe 58. The cooled inert gas goesthrough pipes 56 and 59 into a cooling chamber 28 and leaves it throughpipes 60 at a temperature of approximately 60 C. The washed andimpregnated damp lead plates enter the dryer 19 at 20 C. and are heatedup to 120 C. They enter at this temperature into the cooling chamber andcooled off to C. At this temperature no considerable danger of oxidationwill any longer exist. The inert gases are then directed back throughpipe 61, fan 62, pipe 63, 64 and 65 to the oven 47 for remixing with thefreshly made inert gases and recycle backward with these gases throughthe conduit 48.

The dry air for the positive plates is drawn in by the pipe 68 and thefan 58 and is forced through the pipe 69 into the heat exchanger 55 andis preheated thereby inert gas from the drying chamber to a temperatureof approximately 70 C. The gas then moves through pipes 70 and 71 to theheat exchanger 49 where it is heated to C. by the inert gas from theoven 47 and then passes through pipe 72 and 11 to the dryer 39. At thislocation it dries the damp positive plates which emerges from the dryerat approximately 65 C. The dry air is released from the dryer into theatmosphere What is claimed is:

l. A device for the continuous production of lead plates for storagebatteries comprising at least one washtub, at least one impregnationtub, at least one drying chamber, conveyor means for conducting one ormore lead plates through said washing tub, said impregnation tub andsaid drying chamber, said drying chamber having an inlet extendingdownwardly below the level of liquid in one of said tubs to provide aseal at the location of said conveyor means and extending from said tubto said dryer for the passage of the plates from the tub into the dryerwithout losing any gases therethrough, means for circulating an inertgas through said dryer for the drying of the plates therein, a coolingchamber located alongside said drying chamber, and air lock meansdefined between said drying chamber and said cooling chamber, said airlock means including members through which the plates are moved past andwhich provide a seal with the plates as they are so moved.

2. A device for the continuous production of lead plates for storagebatteries comprising at least one washtub, at least one impregnationtub, at least one drying chamber, conveyor means for conducting one ormore lead plates through said washing tub said impregnation tub and saiddrying chamber, said drying chamber having an inlet extending downwardlybelow the level of liquid in one of said tubs to provide a seal at thelocation of said conveyor means and extending from said tub to saiddryer for the passage of the cabinets from the tub into the dryerwithout losing any gases therethrough, means for circulating an inertgas through said dryer for the drying of the plates therein, an air lockchamber after said drying chamber, said lock chamber having an inletdoor overlying said conveyor means for said plates and an outlet doorspaced from said inlet and outlet doors being staggered in height suchthat the bottom edge of the inlet door lies above the top edge of saidoutlet door, said plates being movable by said conveyor means tosuccessively open said inlet and outlet doors.

3. A device for the continuous production of lead plates for storagebatteries comprising at least one washtub, at least one impregnationtub, at least one drying chamber, conveyor means for conducting one ormore lead plates through said washing tub said impregnation tub and saiddrying chamber, said drying chamber having an inlet extending downwardlybelow the level of liquid in one of said tubs to provide a seal at thelocation of said conveyor means and extending from said tub to saiddryer for the passage of the cabinets from the tub into the dryerwithout losing any gases therethrough, means for circulating an inertgas through said dryer for the drying of the plates therein, a coolingchamber located alongside said drying chamber having a plate inletadjacent said drying chamber and an opposite end with a plate outlet,and means for circulating inert gas in through said drying chamberadjacent one end and out through said drying chamber adjacent the otherend and for circulating inert gas into said cooling chamber adjacent oneend and out through said chamber adjacent said opposite end, the outletof said inert gas from said drying chamber being connected to saidcooling chamber by a conduit connection adjacent said plate outlet and aheat exchanger in said conduit connection.

4. A device for the continuous production of lead plates for storagebatteries comprising at least one washtub, at least one impregnationtub, at least one drying chamber, conveyor means for conducting one ormore lead plates through said washing tub said impregnation tub and saiddrying chamber,

said drying chamber having an inlet extending downwardly below the levelof liquid in one of said tubs to provide a seal at the location of saidconveyor means and extending from said tub to said dryer for the passageof the cabinets from the tub into the dryer without losing any gasestherethrough, means for circulating an inert gas through said dryer forthe drying of the plates therein, said dryer being defined by anelongated path through which said conveyor means extends, a coolingchamber located along said side of said dryer and continuing theelongated path through which said conveyor extends, an inlet pipe forconducting inert gas into said dryer adjacent one end thereof, an outletpipe for conducting inert gas out of said dryer adjacent the other end,inlet and outlet pipe means located at respective ends of said coolingchamber, and an oven for producing inert gases connected to the outletmeans of said cooling chamber and to the inlet means of said dryingchamber.

5. A device for the continuous production of lead plates for storagebatteries comprising at least one washtub, at least one impregnationtub, at least one drying chamber, conveyor means for conducting one ormore lead plates through said washing tub said impregnation tub and saiddrying chamber, said drying chamber having an inlet extending downwardlybelow the level of liquid in one of said tubs to provide a seal at thelocation of said conveyor means and extending from said tub to saiddryer for the passage for the cabinets from the tub into the dryerwithout losing any gases therethrough, and means for circulating aninert gas through said dryer for the drying of the plates therein, acooling chamber located along said conveyor means adjacent said dryingchamber, said washing basin, said impregnation basin, said dryingchamber and said cooling chamber being provided for the negative platesof the storage battery, and including a positive-plate-washing basin, apositive-plate-impregnation basin and a positive-plate dryer, secondconveyor means for conveying positive plates through saidpositive-plate-washing basin, said positive-plateimpregnation basin andsaid positive plate dryer, said means for circulating inert gasincluding a generator for producing inert gases at high temperature andfor directing them into said dryer, a heat exchanger, a conduit forremoving inert gases from said dryer and for delivering them throughsaid heat exchanger and into said cooling chamber, and means fordirecting air for said positive plate dryer through said heat exchangerand into said positive-plate dryer.

6. A device, according to claim 5, including a second heat exchanger,said second heat exchanger being connected to said generator of inertgases at high temperatures and located before said dryer, said air forsaid positive-plate dryer being directed through said first heatexchanger and said second heat exchanger then into said positive-platedryer.

7. A device, according to claim 6, including means for withdrawing inertgases from said cooling chamber and delivering them back to saidgenerator, for producing inert gases at high temperature.

8. A device, according to claim 7, including means for drawing gasesfrom said dryer and delivering them back to said first heat exchangerfor delivery into said cooling chamber.

2. A device for the continuous production of lead plates for storagebatteries comprising at least one washtub, at least one impregnationtub, at least one drying chamber, conveyor means for conducting one ormore lead plates through said washing tub said impregnation tub and saiddrying chamber, said drying chamber having an inlet extending downwardlybelow the level of liquid in one of said tubs to provide a seal at thelocation of said conveyor means and extending from said tub to saiddryer for the passage of the cabinets from the tub into the dryerwithout losing any gases therethrough, means for circulating an inertgas through said dryer for the drying of the plates therein, an air lockchamber after said drying chamber, said lock chamber having an inletdoor overlying said conveyor means for said plates and an outlet doorspaced from said inlet and outlet doors being staggered in height suchthat the bottom edge of the inlet door lies above the top edge of saidoutlet door, said plates being movable by said conveyor means tosuccessively open said inlet and outlet doors.
 3. A device for thecontinuous production of lead plates for storage batteries comprising atleast one washtub, at least one impregnation tub, at least one dryingchamber, conveyor means for conducting one or more lead plates throughsaid washing tub said impregnation tub and said drying chamber, saiddrying chamber having an inlet extending downwardly below the level ofliquid in one of said tubs to provide a seal at the location of saidconveyor means and extending from said tub to said dryer for the passageof the cabinets from the tub into the dryer without losing any gasestherethrough, means for circulating an inert gas through said dryer forthe drying of the plates therein, a cooling chamber located alongsidesaid drying chamber having a plate inlet adjacent said drying chamberand an opposite end with a plate outlet, and means for circulating inertgas in through said drying chamber adjacent one end and out through saiddrying chamber adjacent the other end and for circulating inert gas intosaid cooling chamber adjacent one end and out through said chamberadjacent said opposite end, the outlet of said inert gas from saiddrying chamber being connected to said cooling chamber by a conduitconnection adjacent said plate outlet and a heat exchanger in saidconduit connection.
 4. A device for the continuous production of leadplates for storage batteries comprising at least one washtub, at leastone impregnation tub, at least one drying chamber, conveyor means forconducting one or more lead plates through said washing tub saidimpregnation tub and said drying chamber, said drying chamber having aninlet extending downwardly below the level of liquid in one of said tubsto provide a seal at the location of said conveyor means and extendingfrom said tub to said dryer for the passage of the cabinets from the tubinto the dryer without losing any gases therethrough, means forcirculating an inert gas through said dryer for the drying of the platestherein, said dryer being defined by an elongated path through whichsaid conveyor means extends, a cooling chamber located along said sideof said dryer and continuing the elongated path through which saidconveyor extends, an inlet pipe for conducting inert gas into said dryeradjacent one end thereof, an outlet pipe for conducting inert gas out ofsaid dryer adjacent the other end, inlet and outlet pipe means locatedat respective ends of said cooling chamber, and an oven for producinginert gases connected to the outlet means of said cooling chamber and tothe inlet means of said drying chamber.
 5. A device for the continuousproduction of lead plates for storage batteries comprising at least onewashtub, at least one impregnation tub, at least one drying chamber,conveyor means for conducting one or more lead plates through saidwashing tub said impregnation Tub and said drying chamber, said dryingchamber having an inlet extending downwardly below the level of liquidin one of said tubs to provide a seal at the location of said conveyormeans and extending from said tub to said dryer for the passage of thecabinets from the tub into the dryer without losing any gasestherethrough, and means for circulating an inert gas through said dryerfor the drying of the plates therein, a cooling chamber located alongsaid conveyor means adjacent said drying chamber, said washing basin,said impregnation basin, said drying chamber and said cooling chamberbeing provided for the negative plates of the storage battery, andincluding a positive-plate-washing basin, a positive-plate-impregnationbasin and a positive-plate dryer, second conveyor means for conveyingpositive plates through said positive-plate-washing basin, saidpositive-plate-impregnation basin and said positive-plate dryer, saidmeans for circulating inert gas including a generator for producinginert gases at high temperature and for directing them into said dryer,a heat exchanger, a conduit for removing inert gases from said dryer andfor delivering them through said heat exchanger and into said coolingchamber, and means for directing air for said positive plate dryerthrough said heat exchanger and into said positive-plate dryer.
 6. Adevice, according to claim 5, including a second heat exchanger, saidsecond heat exchanger being connected to said generator of inert gasesat high temperatures and located before said dryer, said air for saidpositive-plate dryer being directed through said first heat exchangerand said second heat exchanger then into said positive-plate dryer.
 7. Adevice, according to claim 6, including means for withdrawing inertgases from said cooling chamber and delivering them back to saidgenerator, for producing inert gases at high temperature.
 8. A device,according to claim 7, including means for drawing gases from said dryerand delivering them back to said first heat exchanger for delivery intosaid cooling chamber.